Ailanthus altissima Extract Ameliorates Cognitive Decline and Neurodegeneration in an Aluminum Chloride–Induced Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Background The extract of Ailanthus altissima possesses anti‐inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. We aimed to investigate its effectiveness in mitigating the AlCl 3 ‐induced Alzheimer’s disease in a rat model. Methods A total of 32 adult male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups each consisting of 8 rats. The control group received saline and the AlCl 3 group received AlCl 3 (0.2 cc 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) for 14 days. Two other groups received either 50 or 100 mg/kg of Ailanthus altissima after AlCl 3 treatment. Behavioral tests including open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze, and passive avoidance tests were performed. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB), glial filamentous acidic protein (GFAP), and amyloid beta were stained using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the hippocampus. Results AlCl 3 administration caused significant memory impairment, and treatment with Ailanthus altissima extract effectively mitigated these deficits in a dose‐dependent manner. The effects were dose‐dependent, and the group receiving 100 mg/kg extract presented the most significant results in the conducted behavioral tests. The IHC results for NF‐κB showed that treatment with 50 mg/kg of extract significantly reduced NF‐κB expression compared with the AlCl 3 group (6.64% vs. 13.3%, respectively, p < 0.05). A higher dose of 100 mg/kg resulted in an even greater reduction (4.45% vs. 13.3%, p < 0.01). Extract treatment reduced GFAP positivity in a dose‐dependent manner, with the 50 mg/kg group showing a significant decrease to 11.8% ( p < 0.05). The 100 mg/kg group demonstrated an even more substantial reduction to 7.7% ( p < 0.01) compared with the AlCl 3 group (18.65%). Amyloid beta positivity was critically reduced in the 100 mg/kg‐receiving group. Conclusions Ailanthus altissima extract shows potential as a neuroprotective extract. It counteracts AlCl 3 ‐induced behavioral and neuropathological changes, suggesting promising therapeutic applications.